Draft appliance for railway vehicles



May 20, 1930. w. J. REGAN DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed Aug.'29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. J. REGAN I 1,758,974

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES May 20, 1930.

Filed Aug. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2%, 1930 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. REGAN, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO THE MGCON- WAY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Application filed August 29, 1928. Serial No. 302,870.

My invention relates to draft appliances for railway cars and particularly to car couplers of the type wherein the coupler head and stem are pivotally connected and the coupler as a whole is mounted upon the car in a man-.

ner permitting it to swin laterally as the car passes around a curve. Gouplers of this type are well known and are commonly provided with yielding means for centralizing the coupler stem with respect to the car body and for centering the pivotally mounted head with respect to the stem.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a coupler of the type indicated with a stem of strong and simple form, well suitable for production by casting and with respect to which the coupler head pivotally mounted thereon maybe readily assembled or disassembled.

The primary feature of the invention, generally stated, consists in fashioning the rear portion of the coupler stem as a box section which extends forwardly as far as the sliding frame by which the coupler head is centered 5 on the stem will permit, the forward portion of the stem being formed as upper and lower spaced arms or straps which are integrally united at their outer ends by a hollow column constituting a pivot boss for receiving a pin rotatably connecting the coupler head to the stem.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a sliding frame for centering the coupler head with'a pin receiving opening which is disposed with respect to the spaced arms at the forward end of the coupler stem in such manner that when the head is rotated to force the centering frame rearwardly a bar 01' pin may be inserted therein and brought into engagement with the rear end of the pivot pin boss by which said arms are united, thus preventing the sliding frame from being moved forward by the spring which acts upon it and thereby relieving the coupler head of the pressure normally applied. to it by its centering slide so. as to permit its easy removal from the stem,

Other features of the invention relating to so advantageous details of construction and relations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the draft appliance embodying the invention, a portion of the head of the coupler being in horizontal section and a portion of a draft yoke to which the coupler is pivotally connected being also shown.

Figure 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical-section of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View on the line 33, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line H, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail plan view, partly in section, showing the manner of removing the coupler head from the stem.

Figure 6 is a detail horizontal sectional View corresponding to Figure 5 but showing the head in a central position.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a coupler head which is attached to the forward end of the coupler stem 2 by a pivot pin 3. At its rear end the coupler stem is pivotally attached to the draft rigging mounted upon the car so as to permit the coupler to swing laterally when the car passes around a curve, such pivotal connection preferably being effected by providing the rear end of the stem 2 with vertically spaced pivot lugs ,4 for receiving a tail pin 5 passing through cooperating pivot lugs 6, 7 and 8 respectively formed on the forward end of a draft yoke 9. By this means the operative connection between the coupler stem and the draft yoke is eflicient under all conditions of service as the tail pin 5 is placed in quadruple; sheer when the coupler is subjected to pulling forces and the rounded bearing surfaces 10 forming the rear faces of the pivot lugs a afford a large bearing area for cooperating with the correspondingly curved bearing surfaces 11 on the yoke 9.

As shown in the drawings, the coupler head 1 pivotally mounted upon the forward end of the stem is of a well known form having a rearwardly opening pocket or recess 12 for receiving the forward end of the coupler stem and the slide or frame 13 by which the head is normally maintained in central position with respect to the same. On each side of the coupler stein within the recess 12, the coupler head is preferably provided with the usual shoulders 14 for cooperating with the abutting ends 15 of the head centering frame 13. The frame 13 is mounted upon the coupler stem 2 so as to be capable of sliding longitudinally of the latter and it is normally urged to forward position by a spring 16 which is interposed between the rear end of the frame 13 and a spring seat 17 with which the coupler stem is provided. This spring should have an initial compression sufiicient to maintain the head in a central position upon the stem after some wear has taken place on the centering shoulders 14 of the head and the forward ends 15 of he sliding frame. As is the common practice the head centering frame 13 is preferably composed of laterally separable counterpart members 18 which are rigidly connected by rivets 19. hen the coupler head 1 rotates upon the pivot pin 3, one or the other of the shoulders 1 1 on the coupler head, depending upon the direction in which the head moves, acts upon the contacting end 15 of one of the frame members 18, thus causing the entire frame to execute a rearward sliding movement upon the coupler stem and effecting a compression of the spring 16. hen the force causing the displacement of the coupler head from its normal position ceases to act the spring 16 expands, thus causing the slidable frame 13 to move forwardly and return the coupler head to a central position with respect to the coupler stem.

Mounted upon the head centering frame 13 in advance of the spring 16 are transversely reciprocating spring boxes or cups 20 which serve to center the coupler stem 2. These spring boxes, which are provided at their inner ends with flanges 21 for cooperating F with the frame 13 to limit their extent of separation are normally held in their extreme position of separation by means of an interposed spring 23, a rod or spring ferrule 24 preferably being positioned within the spring to insure the proper alinement of the coils of the latter when the coupler stem 2 swings laterally. In normal position the transverse spring 23 maintains the outer ends of the spring boxes 20 in contact with the carrier iron, draft sills or other part of the car forming a stationary abutment as indicated dia grammatically at 25 in Figure 1. When the coupler stem 2 is displaced laterally from its normal position, one or the other of the spring boxes or followers 20 moves with said stem while the other spring box is prevented from retreating by reason of its engagement with the stationary abutment 25 on the car. The spring boxes 20 thus approach each other and thereby compress the interposed spring 23. The energy thus stored in this spring returns the coupler stem to its normal central-position as soon as the force which has caused the stem to swing laterally ceases to act.

The coupler stem 2 is of a form enabling it to be made of cast steel and yet to have ample strength to efliciently fulfill all the requirements of service. In advance of the pivot lugs 4 for connecting it with the draft yoke the stem is fashioned with top, bottom and side walls constituting a box section 26 of rectangular form which extends well forward toward the coupler head, preferably as far in advance of the spring seat- 17 as the sliding frame 13 permits. In advance of the box section 26 the top and bottom Walls of the coupler stem are thickened vertically to form upper and lower straps 27 and 28 respectively of heavy section. Between the spring seat 17 and the forward end of the box section 26 the top and bottom walls of the stem are preferably gradually thickened, as indicated at 29, so as to merge into the upper and lower spaced straps 27 and 28 respectively of the stem. As a means for maintaining the spring 16 in proper operating position and to strengthen the coupler stem in advance of the spring seat 17, as well as to strengthen said seat, the tapered portions 29 of the upper and lower walls of the box section are preferably provided with centrally disposed longitudinally extending ribs or flanges 30 which gradually increase in height from front to rear and are integrally united at their rear ends to the spring seat 17. At their forward ends the upper and lower straps 27 and 28 are united by a hollow cylindrical column 31 cast integral therewith. This column which constitutes a boss for receiving the pivot pin 3, by which the coupler head is connected to the stem, provides a long bearing for the pivot pin having maximum strength and forms a vertical tie at the front end of the stem preventing any spreading of the vertically spaced straps 27 and 28 in advance of the box section 26. As shown in the drawings it is preferred to line the pivot pin opening in the boss 31 with a bushing 32 surrounding the pivot pin 3 and extending the full height of the coupler stem.

To facilitate the removal of the pivot. pin 3 when changing coupler heads, by fully relieving the pin from the pressure imparted to it by the head centering spring 16, which acts through the sliding frame 13 to force the coupler head forwardly against the pivot pin, the side walls of said frame 13 are provided with oppositely disposed holes 33 for temporaril receiving a removable bar 31 (see Figs. 5 and 6) which. by bearing against the rear side of the pivot boss 31, is adapted to retain the sliding frame 13 in its rearward position. These holes are positioned between the upper arm or strap 27 and the lower strap 28 at the forward end of the coupler stem and preferably on the center line of the latter, forward of the front rivet 19, by which the counterpart members 18 of the sliding frame are connected, the centers of such holes 33 being advantageously disposed slightly forward of the rear of the pivot, pin boss or column 31 when the sliding frame 13 is in its normal position. To relieve the pivot pin 3 of the pressure of the spring 16 so as to permit the coupler head to be readily removed, the head 1 is revolved toward the guard arm side by means of any suitable bar or tool 35, as indicated in Figure 5, thus forcing the frame 13 rearwardly and thereby compressing the spring 16. When the spring is thus compressed, the holes 33 occupy a po sition permitting the bar 34 to be inserted to the rear of the column or pivot boss 31 of the coupler stem. The bar 34, by bearing on the rear side of the pivot pin boss 31, prevents the sliding frame from movin ward to its normal position when the ar 35 is removed, as shown in Figure 6, and the pivot pin 3 by which the head is attached to the stem may thus be easily withdrawn or inserted. The described construction where by the sliding frame is temporarily maintained in its rearward position to permit a coupler head to be removed or replaced 1S advantageous in that it renders unnecessary the provision of any hole in the coupler stem strap such as is now required. The total cross-sectional area of the stem straps 27 and 28 is thus effective in resisting draft and buflin shocks, while in constructions now in use w lere a hole is formed in the stem strap for receiving a bar, such as 34, the effective cross-section of the strap at the center of the hole is not only reduced by the amount of metal removed in drilling the hole, but is decreased four times that amount, for while under the present practice the hole above referred to is only in one side of a strap the effective strength of that strap is only twice the cross-section of the half in which the hole is drilled and the combined effective strength of both straps is only four times that amount, for the total load carried by the stem is equally divided between the two straps and again equally divided between the right and left halves of each strap. Thus when half the load of the lower strap is sufficient to rupture the half of the strap in which the hole is located, the total load on that strap is transferred to the remaining or opposite section and complete breakage of the strap ensues, thereby imparting the full load of the stem to the upper strap and causing the latter to break by reason of the overload.

I claim:

1. A draft appliance for railway cars comprising a coupler stem, a coupler head, means for pivotally connecting said head and stem,

for-

-pr1s1ng a coupler stem, a coupler head, a

pivot pin for connecting said head and stem, means-slidably mounted on said stem for normally maintaining said head and stem in central position and a spring for actuating said means, said stem being of tubular form adjacent its rear end and having vertically spaced forwardly extending straps which are integrally united adjacent the .head by a boss adapted to receive said pivot pin.

3. A draft appliance for railway cars comprising a coupler stem, a coupler head, a pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and means mounted on said stem and slidable longitudinally with respect thereto for normally centralizing said head with respect to the stem, said means including a spring extending longitudinally of the stem and seated upon the latter, and said stem being formed with a seat for said spring and being of box section re'arwardly of said seat and having in advance of said seat vertically spaced straps rigidly connected at their forward ends by a hollow column adapted to receive said pivot pin, said means for centralizing the head being interposed between said straps.

4. A draft appliance for railway cars comprisinga coupler stem, a coupler head, a pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem,

and means movably mounted on said stem for normally maintaining the head in central position with respect to the stem, said means including a frame for cooperating with the head and a spring for normally urging the frame toward the forward end of said stem, and said stem being integral and having a seat for said spring and being formed on opposite sides of said seat with hollow portions of box section, said box section portion which is in advance of said seat being integrally united to forwardly extending straps connected at their outer ends by a hollow column adapted to receive said pivot pin, said stem being open at the sides in advance of said aortions of box section to permit said means to be received between said straps.

5. A draft appliance for railway cars comprising a coupler stem, a coupler head, a pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and means mounted on said stem for normally maintaining said head central with respect to the stem, said means comprising a frame slidably mounted on the stem and a r spring seated on the stem and acting upon said frame, and said stem being formed as a unitary member having a seat for said spring, a hollow portion of closed cross section extending longitudinally of the stem on opposite sides of the spring seat, vertically spaced straps extending forwardly from said portion of closed cross section, said straps being of greater thickness than the walls of said portion of closed section, and a hollow column rigidly uniting said straps at their forward ends, said column being adapted to receive said pivot pin.

6. A draft appliance for railway cars comprising a coupler stem, a coupler head, a pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and means mounted on said stem for normally maintaining said head central with respect to the stem, said means including a slidable frame and a spring acting on the latter, and said stem being formed as an integral member having a spring seat, a hollow portion of closed cross section extending on opposite sides of said seat longitudinally of the stem, vertically spaced straps extending forwardly from said hollow portion, and a pivot boss connecting said straps at their forward ends, said boss being adapted to receive the pivot pin, the upper and lower walls of said portion of closed cross section being of gradually increasing cross section forwardly of said spring seat and merging into said spaced straps.

7. A draft appliance for railway cars comprising a coupler stem, at coupler head, a pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem and means yieldingly mounted on said stem for normally maintaining the head in central position with respect to the stem, said stem being provided at its forward end with ver tically spaced straps for receiving said means between them, said straps being connected by a boss adapted to receive said pivot pin, and said means being formed with an opening adapted to receive a removable bar for bearing against said boss to temporarily prevent said means from assuming normal position corresponding to the centralized position of said head, said opening in said means and the rear side of said boss being in overlapped relation transversely when said means is in forward position corresponding to the centralized position of said head, and said opening being spaced vertically with respect to said straps.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM J. REGAN. 

